


Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne – Be A Better Person, And A Better Parent

by AceofEnder



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Domestic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23863006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceofEnder/pseuds/AceofEnder
Summary: Bruce hadn’t been around in a week and a half, but honestly?  None of them really noticed and those that did knew better than to expect better.Or, the one where Dick tells Bruce to be a good parent
Relationships: Batfamily Members & Bruce Wayne
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne – Be A Better Person, And A Better Parent

Bruce hadn’t been around in a week and a half, but honestly? None of them really noticed and those that did knew better than to expect better. Jason was with Alfred treating his wounds again, Tim hadn’t come out of his room in four days, and god knows what Damian was doing. Dick was sitting at the table with Barbara, tapping his foot on the floor and his fingers along the table absentmindedly, she looked up at him to see him anxiously skimming various documents. She sighed and took a gulp of her coffee before slamming the mug on the table, being careful not to chip it at all, before speaking reluctantly. “Alright, I’ll give you ten minutes to get whatever this is” She said while motioning to him “Out of your system, you can tell me anything for the next ten minutes chop chop.”

He looked at her before chuckling and stopping his fidgeting. She gave him a sympathetic smile after grabbing his attention, knowing exactly what chaos Bruce had been putting him through with being gone all the time. He groaned and laid his head on the table “He needs to get his act together and be an actual parent to them Babs.” She gave him a soft smile and took a sip of the caffeinated beverage in her mug, before telling him “Dick, calm down. You can try talking to him but I’m not sure how well that will fare, you know him. ”Dick covered his face with his hand and groaned. “I guess so, worth trying though. I’m gonna grab a cup of coffee, need a refill?” She nodded and shoved the mug towards him while laughing.

That night after almost everyone had retired to their rooms, whether it was to sleep or simply to escape their chaotic family, Dick was sitting on the couch waiting. He had the remote in hand, watching various home videos of each of the kids. No matter the age, Bruce had insisted there was at least one video of each kid, that was the parent he needed Bruce to be. For their sake. He was currently watching a video of Jason celebrating Barbara’s birthday. He had on a bright party hat, blowing obnoxiously into a party blower, and was smiling at Barbara and Cass. He remembered how surprised they all were that he was smiling, considering he was 19 and rather angsty at the time. 

Dick chuckled at the thought before hearing footsteps behind him and turning to see Bruce, who raised an eyebrow and gestured to the tv. “Why’re you awake, and what are you watching?” Dick motioned towards the chair near the couch “Come watch with me, I doubt you’re sleeping anytime soon Mr. darkness and brooding.” Bruce rolled his eyes in response but reluctantly sat down. “It’s not that he’s technically a bad parent he’s just…gone a lot.” Dick thought while watching him smile at the videos of his kids, listening to him in the videos as he was holding the camera.

After about 45 minutes of watching cute, funny, and heartwarming videos Dick paused the tv and turned to Bruce. He cocked an eyebrow and looked at Dick, as he began to speak. “Bruce, I know you care about them” Dick said carefully, nodding towards the tv which was paused on a group photo of all of them. He continued “But you’re gone an awful lot, I think they might be wondering if you really care at all.” Bruce cut him off, grinding his teeth before speaking “Of course I care about them, they’re my kids Dick! So are you!” Dick simply motioned for him to lower his volume and spoke gently. “I know that Bruce, and I’m sure deep down they know it too. But when you’re gone every day, every night, and through the times they need a father, it can be hard to see. I can’t be their parent Bruce. I would like to be there for them whenever they need it, but sometimes they need a parent. And that parent is you.”

Bruce’s face shifted into one of pain, realization, and disappointment, in no one but himself. He put his head in his hands, Dick could swear he saw light tears trailed down his hands. “What am I supposed to do? How…how do I fix this?” His voice broken and cracking more with every desperate questions. “Bruce.” Dick spoke quietly, Bruce pulling his hands away and looking up at his eldest son. “You can’t go back and change the past, you can change the future though. Be there when they need you. They love you, I know you love them. You just need to act like it.” Bruce gave him a small nod, wiping the back of his hand over his eye to collect the tears, before standing up. “I think I’m going to sleep, try to get rest son.” Dick gave him a smile in return and nodded. He ended up falling asleep watching a video of Tim and Damian playing scrabble.

The next morning almost everyone was sitting at the table, Alfred was preparing breakfast for each induvial. Stephanie and Jason were having a thumb war, Steph waiting for her waffles, and Jay waiting for his toast and eggs. Barbara and Tim were discussing a book, Jason occasionally throwing in comments unless he was focused on beating Stephanie. Babs was waiting for her eggs benedict, Tim was drinking his coffee and waiting on his breakfast pizza. Cass was waiting while simply smiling for her breakfast burrito, and Dick was already eating his cereal. He tended to be the exception to Alfred’s “all food must come out at once” rule. Damian was upstairs finishing a phone call with Jon, Alfred was preparing his fruit salad and vegan yogurt with granola.

Once everyone had their food, and Damian had joined them, they were greeted with the sounds of heavy footsteps. They all looked up from their food, except Jason who didn’t care, and Tim who was so hungry the house could’ve burned down and he would’ve stayed with the pizza. The rest of them saw Bruce, standing there with his arms lined in various colored and sized bags, looking rather awkward and out of place.

“B? What on earth is in the bags?” Jason asked after finally looking up and snickering. Bruce placed each bag on the floor before speaking softly. “Something for each of you, may I see you upstairs one at a time?” Jay scoffed out “Couldn’t have waited till after breakfast old ma-“ He was cut off my Alfred giving him a look. The rest of them nodded, said yes, or gave another sign of acceptance. He brought the bags upstairs and brought Damian up first, he was the easiest for Bruce to talk to and he ate breakfast the quickest.

Damian sat down with Bruce on the bed, getting curiouser by the second about what his father was doing. “Damian” He began “I know I’ve been rather dismissive lately, and I know I’m not home as much. I know that this can’t fix everything but I’m sorry. I’ll be here as much as I can, and I want you to know you can come to me with any problems you ever need help with.” Damian’s eyes looked rather thankful, but he spoke quickly “Father, that’s kind of you but I have no need for help-“ Bruce cut him off by pulling something out of the bag and handing it to the boy. “Everyone needs help sometimes Damian, you don’t need to be ashamed about it.” Damian looked down at the small silver chain, a rectangular pendant engraved with the word “eayilati”. Damian felt himself begin to shake slightly before muttering thank you in Arabic under his breath. He gave Bruce a small smile, before clipping the chain on and hiding the pendant under his overshirt. “Thank you, Alab.” 

After Damian left, he called in Cass, then Barbara, Alfred, and Stephanie. He had given Cass a talk about not needing to do everything perfectly and gave her a pair of ballet flats. Each pair having custom fabrics to recreate designs she had made when Dami taught her to paint, so she could show her emotions without speaking. Bruce talked to Barbara about how she would always be welcome, how she was family, and how proud he was of her. He gave her a pair of glasses made by Wayne Tech, inscribed with Gordon one bow and Wayne on the other. She gave him a bright smile and nodded towards him, he nodded back and let her be on her way. Alfred, well no one would be able to figure out what happened then. Stephanie was already okay with Bruce, but he apologized for giving her such trouble, and gave her a purple waffle iron. She didn’t stop gasping for 2 hours and gave him a hug before sprinting downstairs to make waffles.

The next to come in was Tim, who had only left his room that morning for breakfast and somehow got roped into this. He sighed and sat down reluctantly. “What do you want Bruce? I get it, I need rest, I’m antisocial, I need to cut back of coffee-“ Bruce spoke softly “Tim, Dick told me what’s going with you lately, I know you aren’t okay Timmy. I’m proud of you for helping your brothers and sisters but you need rest too. I’m here for you and so are they.” Tim looked down at his hands, they had begun to shake slightly, he started to cry a bit. “I’m really proud of you Tim, thank you for being there for everyone when I wasn’t pulling my weight.” He handed Tim a small coffee mug, it was a plain black mug. Tim said a confused thank you for a moment before Bruce poured a bottle of hot water he had beside him into the mug. Slowly the image appeared on the black mug from the heat, it was an image of Tim’s 17th birthday, standing beside Cass and Dick, with everyone surrounding them. Tim gave him a heartfelt smile and thanked him, walking downstairs to show Cass.

The last to enter, begrudgingly, was the one and only Jason Todd. “The fuck do you want B?” He scowled and asked, eager to leave as quickly as he physically could. “Will you come sit with me Jay?” Bruce asks him softly only to receive an annoyed groan. “I would rather throw myself off of the roof. But thanks. I’ll take you up on that if the world ends.” Bruce gave him a light sigh, more saddened than exasperated. “Alright well, I wanted to say I’m sorry Jason.” He was cut off by Jason cackling to himself. “Bit late don’t you think?” He spoke with sarcasm and fake amusement. “No. Jason. I’m sorry, not just for that, but for abandoning you now that you can be here with us. I’m glad to have you with us, I’m proud of you son.” Jason’s fist loosened as he calmed a bit, still wary and angry but willing to listen.

“I should’ve been a better father, not just to you, but to them as well. I’m happy they have such an amazing brother to look up to.” He continued while looking at Jason. He handed him a box, Jason untied the red bow on it with a slight scoff. Bruce and Jason both knew a simple sweet gift was likely to be tossed out as quickly as he had it. Inside was a wrist cuff, detailed and inscribed with small symbols in the leather. One was a crowbar, one was a domino mask, one was a sealed and locked up bottle of whiskey, and one was a stack of books. 

Jason’s eyes darted up to Bruce’s, afraid to speak and hear the cracks in his voice. “I’m sorry Jay. I never meant for you to be exposed to such awful things, you can never forgive me I know that. But maybe this can be a start.” He stood up and gave Jason a tight hug, Jason simply stood there and let it happen. “Thank you, Jason, for being you and being too strong for this world to comprehend.” Bruce could swear he felt a tear roll down from Jay’s eye, but he wouldn’t push it.

That night everyone gathered for dinner, to find Bruce helping Alfred make dinner. Alfred only gave him small tasks, but he was eager to help, Jason and Dick even set the table without being told. The dinner comprised of everyone’s favorites foods. Jason wore his cuff under his shirt secretly, Stephanie added dessert waffles made with her new iron, Damian had his chain on secretly, Tim was drinking out of his new mug, Barbara was wearing her glasses as well.

After a peaceful dinner Dick went up to his room to find a small box on his bed, no note, but he knew who it was from. He lifted the lid lightly to see a small picture, a photo of all his siblings, their friends, and his parents and family from the circus. All decorated to be put together, themed like the Flying Graysons poster, with one word above. Home.


End file.
